The present invention relates to hair styling devices, namely devices for forming French knots, buns and the like, and in particular, to an attachment accessory for conveniently attaching hair styling enhancements to the hair styling device.
Long hair styles are popular with people of all ages, particularly with women. Because of the popularity of long hair styles, several devices have been invented for styling long hair. Examples include barrettes, hair ties, combs and ornamental hair pins.
Of the hair styling devices that are currently known, there are included a few devices which are useful for styling long hair into a bun, a French knot, or similar style.
One such device is a soft sponge-like ring. The ring is covered with a fine netting material, which can be used by drawing the hair through the opening in the sponge, wrapping the hair around the ring and securing the hair onto the ring by trapping the hair and the netting material together with hair pins. The ring can also be formed from a fabric, such as woven nylon covered with a nylon netting. Typically, the ring has an outer diameter of approximately four inches and has an inner diameter of approximately two inches.
There are disadvantages in using a soft sponge-like ring to form a hair bun. Smooth, thick hair is difficult to wrap around the ring, pin the hair down and have the hair remain in place. Wrapping the hair around the ring is also quite time consuming when the hair is long. Shorter hair may not be possible to wrap completely around the ring.
There are flexible combs that are known having two ends which can be opened to install the comb around the hair, and then closed to form a substantially circular ring. Flexible combs have many sharp, pointed edges which can scrape the scalp. Such a comb is also not particularly useful for styling hair in to a bun. The flexible combs described above are primarily intended to be used to form French knots.
There are currently no known hair styling devices which can be used to rapidly and easily form a French knot, bun or similar hair style and to which a hair styling enhancement, such as a flower or other ornament, may be optionally attached to the hair styling device with an attachment accessory.
The present invention is a hair styling device including an attachment accessory for attaching hair styling enhancements to the hair styling device in some instances. The invention includes a flexible elongated body portion and either a rigid, semi-rigid, or flexible attachment accessory in slidable engagement with the body portion, or alternatively having enhancements attached thereto by insertion elements, magnetic attraction, adhesive or interlocking hooks and loops. The elongated body portion includes a first end, a second end and an elongated slit opening extending through a central portion of the elongated body for receiving hair through the slit opening. The slit opening is generally along the long axis of the body portion between the first and second end, thus dividing the central portion into a first rib and a second rib. A substantially wider opening may be created in the slit opening by deforming the elongated body.
The attachment accessory includes a main body having a first hole, or aperture, through the main body adapted for receiving the elongated body portion in slidable telescoping engagement through the first hole. The main body includes a second hole, or aperture, through the main body adaptable for attaching a hair styling enhancement.
The invention in its broadest sense also includes an optional hair securing portion, proximate the slit opening, suitable for securing hair positioned in the opening. An example of securing portion includes an elongated body formed from a material that will deform under force, and either return to its original shape in response to withdrawing the force or in response to application of an opposite force.
The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent when reference is made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and are in no way intended to limit the scope of the present invention.